Effects Of Hearing Punishment On Children - 1563 Words

What is the first thing that comes to mind when hearing punishment? How about discipline? For numerous children they recall the abuse they have suffered. Meanwhile, others, more fortunate, will possibly recall time-outs or having a toy taken away. According to the Child Maltreatment 2014 report, â€Å"For 2014, a nationally estimated 1,580 children died of abuse and neglect at a rate of 2.13 per 100,000 children in the national population† (Child Maltreatment 2014). This rate is deplorable. More importantly, there is no reason children should suffer neglect or abuse. Many parents, unfortunately, believe that spanking their children (â€Å"physical discipline†) is the right way to discipline their children. However, children should not experience†¦show more content†¦Especially since â€Å"physical discipline† is ineffective, there are laws against it, and there are safer ways to discipline children. Parents who rely solely on â€Å"physical disciplineà ¢â‚¬  think they are fixing the behavior of their children; however, they are only causing other complications. Eventually, children who are brutally abused show signs, the obvious ones being bruised, cuts, malnourishment, and/or fatal injuries. According to Health and Human Services, children who are abused tend to have speech problems and/ or lack supervision. Also, they are chronically dirty or unbathed, and/or behind in school (Warning Signs for Child Abuse or Neglect). These are only a few of the countless examples of the effect abuse can have on children, each proving that abusive discipline is ineffective in the sense of the child s wellbeing. In a personal interview, Dr. Riana Elyse Anderson was asked if abuse or â€Å"physical discipline† is effective, she stated, â€Å"the minute your hand becomes a fist or the minute you start leaving marks that’s where anything effective goes out the window. And the child is more than likely to have some sort of trauma or negative memory from that† (Dr. Anderson). Harming a child will not cause them to fix their behavior instead they will either continue to misbehave or they will stop, but only out of fear. Many would then argue that fear is an effective way to discipline children. This is a fallacy, according to the Center of Developing Children at Harvard

Effects of War in All Quiet of the Western Front Essay

In All Quiet on the Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque progressively shows the brutality of war through the eyes of soldiers claiming their innocence, and also the effects of war on the people in the home front . In this essay I will be discussing the effect of war on both the combatants and non combatants in this novel. Remarque cleverly illustrates what men at the front go through in war, he describe how quickly soldiers realise the reality of war. â€Å"We march up, moody or good-tempered soldiers – we reach the zone where the front begins and become on the instant human animals,† In this quote, Paul describes what was going through his fellow soldiers and his mind as they enter the war. Remarque also writes that soldier in the†¦show more content†¦During his leave, Pauls most striking realisation of losing connection with his past was when he was in his room alone at his parents house. After being unsuccessful by speaking with his mother and his father and his father’s friends,he tries to find all of his old stuff to make him feel more comfortable and more like home. He finds his old post cards, picture, his old leather sofa, but the one thing that made him feel different was his old schoolbooks, which made him feel older, and less army like, more into his future, his dreams instead of the trenches. â€Å" I want that quiet rapture again. I want to feel the same powerful, nameless urge that I used to feel when I turned to my books. The breath of desire that then arose from the colored backs of the books, shall fill me again, melt the heavy, dead lump of lead that lies somewhere in me and waken again the impatience of the future, the quick joy in the world of thought, it shall bring back again the lost eagerness of my youth. I sit and wait.† Remarque describes the home front almost like a audience of the war, wanting to know hear stories and just wanting to learn everything about it,Show MoreRelatedEssay on The Effect of War on Paul in All Quiet on the Western Front544 Words   |  3 PagesThe Effect of War on Paul in All Quiet on the Western Front In All Quiet on the Western Front, Paul is morphed from an innocent child into a war veteran who has a new look on society. Paul used to have a carefree life where he was able to be a kid, but when he enlisted into the army it all changed. Paul became a person whose beliefs were changed because of the war. Paul doesnt believe in society anymore especially parents, elders, and school, which used to play a big part in his lifeRead MoreThe Effects Of War On Soldiers By Erich Maria Remarque s All Quiet On The Western Front1337 Words   |  6 PagesThe effects of war on soldiers cannot be understated. Soldiers throughout history have suffered, both physically and mentally. Soldiers go through rigorous methods of preparation, making sure they are fit to fight all types of enemies. This preparation helps mentally, but it is often not enough. Many soldiers are not fit for the horrors of war, a scenario far more common during the days of military drafts. Young men are thrown into wars, an d leave with everlasting mental scars. Paul Bà ¤umer, the centerRead MoreThe Guns Of August And All Quiet On The Western Front1633 Words   |  7 PagesFirst World War took the world by storm; no person could have imagined the horrors and detriments the â€Å"Great War† would cause. Over a span of four years, millions of soldiers and civilians died. Children lost their parents, and wives, their husbands. So unprecedented was this type of vicious warfare that the countries involved were unprepared for one of the worst wars in history. Two books, The Guns of August and All Quiet on the Western Front address and highlight major themes of World War I. The booksRead MoreThe, All Quiet On The Western Front1458 Words   |  6 PagesOn January 29, 1929, just 10 years, 2 months, 18 days after the Great War, All Quiet on the Western Front, was published and it’s author was of a scarred man by the name of Erich Maria Remarque, who served in the German army during the first Wo rld War. The bloodied, bombed, and distraught landscape painted by Remarque was one only a veteran of conflict can picture because of his experiences as a plain and insignificant infantryman wrought by the plague of the Second Horseman, the Red Horseman ofRead MoreAll Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarche830 Words   |  3 PagesAll Quiet on the Western Front is a fictional war novel written by Erich Maria Remarque which follows the main character Paul Baumer, a German solider in World War I. Paul, the nineteen year old protagonist, narrates the novel as he and his classmates fight on the German and French front. The young men volunteer to join the German army after being persuaded by the nationalist words of their teacher, Kantorek. After only fighting for two weeks, eighty men remain in the company of the once one hundredRead MoreHorror, Effects, And Nationalism1076 Words   |  5 PagesHorror, Effects, and Nationalism Today s horror came from the effects of nationalism that affects our country. Three themes in All Quiet on the Western Front are horror of war, effects on war on the soldier, and nationalism. World War I all started because of the assassination of Franz Ferdinand the archduke of Austria-Hungary. A group of alliances between major powers was blamed and went to war. All Quiet on the Western Front was about this teenager named Paul Baumer and several of his friendsRead More All Quiet on the Western Front Essay858 Words   |  4 PagesAll Quiet on the Western Front The 19th century view of war expressed that it was the most honorable and glorious event that a man could participate in. This romantic viewpoint was quick to change after World War I. In addition, Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front further illustrated the ghastly nature of war. His descriptive writing portrays the graphic details of reality, leaving the readers of the 20th century in shock. Since Remarque was the first author of his timeRead MoreAnalysis Of All Quiet On The Western Front, By Erich Maria Remarque1462 Words   |  6 Pages World war I and World War II was two world wars that completely devastated Europe. Many deaths and sacrifices were made throughout and these two events are no doubt one of the most important events in world history. Many books were written about these two wars, detailing the great horrors and brutal truths of life out on the battlefield. Erich Maria Remarque, was born in Osnabrà ¼ck, Germany, in 1898. His family was lower-middle class and he lived humbly. In 1916, when World War I broke out, heRead MoreThe Western Front And Storm Of Steel1319 Words   |  6 Pages All Quite on the Western Front and Storm of Steel are two of many influential pieces of literature that reflect World War one from a German point of view. It is important to note that All Quite on the Western Front is a work of fiction that is based on the events of the war, Were as Storm of Steel is memoir that is based on the events of Ernst Junger on the western front. Junger is criticized that he takes a positive stance on the war, were as Erich Remarque’s novel tries to show the reality behindRead More Comradeship in James Hanleys The German Prisoner, Ernest Hemingways Farewell to Arms, Not So Quiet, All Quiet on the Western Front, and Pat Bakers1451 Words   |  6 PagesHanleys The German Prisoner, Ernest Hemingways Farewell to Arms, Not So Quiet, All Quiet on the Western Front, and Pat Bakers Regeneration For many soldiers and volunteers, life on the fronts during the war means danger, and there are few if any distractions from its horrors. Each comradeship serves as a divergence from the daily atrocities and makes life tolerable. Yet, the same bonds that most World War literature romantically portrays can be equally negative. James Hanley’s â€Å"The

Key Performance Indicators Free Essays

Key Performance Indicators Key Performance Indicators are a tool to measure performance. This may be the performance of an organisation or an individual. In the case of an individual’s performance, KPI’s consist of, â€Å"a list of characteristics associated with effective or superior performance in a particular job role† (smallPRINT Australia Pty Ltd, 2010, 20). We will write a custom essay sample on Key Performance Indicators or any similar topic only for you Order Now KPI’s clearly specify to employees what they are required to accomplish and how success will be measured. KPI’s will vary according to the specific roles and responsibilities of a position and the goals and objectives of an organisation. They are generally long-term with few changes made over an extended period of time (Reh, 2013). When writing KPI’s a range of key factors or competences considered essential to job performance should be taken into account. They should clearly explain what is to be done and how it will be quantifiably measured. In this way, an employee has something specific to aim for and is able to track progress and monitor performance (smallPRINT Australia Pty Ltd, 2010). KPI’s should be: S – specific and concise M – measureable A – ambitious (achievable yet challenging) R – related to overall department and enterprise goals T – time framed T – trackable or easily monitored (Cole, 2010) KPI’s enable individuals to determine how well they are performing and identify areas in need of improvement. This fosters individual accountability for performance and results. Overall, use of KPI’s ensures alignment between employees’ work and the goals and objectives of an organisation (Performance Management and KPIs, 2013). How to cite Key Performance Indicators, Essay examples Key Performance Indicators Free Essays Key Performance Indicators Key Performance Indicators are a tool to measure performance. This may be the performance of an organisation or an individual. In the case of an individual’s performance, KPI’s consist of, â€Å"a list of characteristics associated with effective or superior performance in a particular job role† (smallPRINT Australia Pty Ltd, 2010, 20). We will write a custom essay sample on Key Performance Indicators or any similar topic only for you Order Now KPI’s clearly specify to employees what they are required to accomplish and how success will be measured. KPI’s will vary according to the specific roles and responsibilities of a position and the goals and objectives of an organisation. They are generally long-term with few changes made over an extended period of time (Reh, 2013). When writing KPI’s a range of key factors or competences considered essential to job performance should be taken into account. They should clearly explain what is to be done and how it will be quantifiably measured. In this way, an employee has something specific to aim for and is able to track progress and monitor performance (smallPRINT Australia Pty Ltd, 2010). KPI’s should be: S – specific and concise M – measureable A – ambitious (achievable yet challenging) R – related to overall department and enterprise goals T – time framed T – trackable or easily monitored (Cole, 2010) KPI’s enable individuals to determine how well they are performing and identify areas in need of improvement. This fosters individual accountability for performance and results. Overall, use of KPI’s ensures alignment between employees’ work and the goals and objectives of an organisation (Performance Management and KPIs, 2013). How to cite Key Performance Indicators, Papers

How Drastic Change Leads to Drastic Measures free essay sample

Mykaila Engish2Honors Don’t Go Changing: An Analysis on Change in the Short Story â€Å"Lamb to the Slaughter† When you are young, there is always one child in school who cheats in a game, or breaks the rules, and has to go to time-out because of it. Even full-gown adults break laws and consequently go to jail. Whenever the social or official rules in a society are broken, there are consequences. Rules are there for a reason; they provide a life of stability and structure.In Roald Dahl’s short story â€Å"Lamb to the Slaughter†, Patrick, with an expecting wife, broke the social code of the time era by telling his wife bad news that drastically altered her structured lifestyle. Feeling lost and scared, she immediately resorts to what she thinks is best, and kills her husband with a leg of lamb. Dahl indicates that drastic changes can lead to drastic outcomes; he conveys this through direct characterization, irony, and symbolism. We will write a custom essay sample on How Drastic Change Leads to Drastic Measures or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Dahl directly describes Mary Maloney as the pregnant wife who undergoes most of the severe changes in the story.These changes all end up having pretty extreme outcomes. For example, when her husband randomly informs her of what we infer to be a break up in their relationship, that shatters her perfectly ordered life and she became a murderer. This is the main change in the story and it also has the most dramatic outcome. Confused, Mary could no longer rely on a perfect life for stability, and she went back to her primitive nature and killed the reason behind all of the confusion. Another drastic change is Mary’s personality after she actually murders her husband. This also portrays situational irony because Mary begins to manipulate those around her, even police officers, when just hours before she seemed like an innocent doting woman. Dahl uses symbolism to indicate the relationships between a lot of physical and mental changes. For instance, Mary obtained the mindset of a murderer as soon as she got the news from Patrick. As their physical relationship started to have problems, so did Mary. Moments after Mary received the shocking news, in her mind, â€Å"Everything was automatic† (319) and â€Å"She couldn’t feel anything at all† (319).The author is trying to demonstrate to the reader that Mary’s marriage and Mary’s mental state broke down at the same time. Another example of this is when the things that happen in the house parallel what happens in Mary’s mind. Before the breaking news and the murder, Dahl describes the house using words like â€Å"warm† (317), â€Å"clean† (317), â€Å"empty† (317), and â€Å"tranquil† (317). After the terrible news and the murder, Dahl uses specific word choice to emphasize how stuffy Mary’s mind becomes by describing how filled the house becomes.He frequently used phrases such as â€Å"there were other policemen in the garden† (323), â€Å"all around the house† (323), â€Å"searching the house† (322), and â€Å"searching the rooms† (322). What the author is doing here is dramatizing the fact that when Mary’s life was put together and in order, the house was tidy, neat, and quiet. As soon as order was disrupted, her mental peace was disturbed, and likewise, her house was cluttered with policemen, doctors, detectives, and photographers. Dahl clearly conveys the similarities between the psychological states and the substantial states of the things in the story.

Battle of the Bulge essays

Battle of the Bulge essays In September of 1944 all signs pointed to a resounding Allied victory and the end of WWII. Everyone believed this was the case except for one man, Adolph Hitler. Refusing to resign Germany to defeat, he began planning a massive counterattack as early as August of 1944. The stalemate along the western front combined with the Allied logistical problems provided him with the preparation time and the precise location to execute this attack, the Ardennes. Hitler had earlier ordered the formation of a new reserve to be used in a November offensive and once the location for the attack was decided a massive buildup of German troops began. Hitler believed the dense forests and bad winter weather, which grounded the Allied air forces, could conceal this buildup. Hitlers master plan was code-named Wacht Am Rhein or Watch on the Rhine and would be useless without the personnel and equipment to execute it. In the fall of 1944 the German army was stretched all over Europe and was showing the strain of 5 years of war. On the western front the Germans were outnumbered 2-1 in troops, 15-1 in aircraft, and 20-1 in tanks causing Hitler to adapt some drastic measures to overcome these odds (Dworschak 3). Some examples of these measures were although the Germans lost almost 27,000 machine guns in September, only 1,500 replacements were sent to the front while 24,000 were set aside for Wacht am Rhein (Dworschak 3). 1,900 mortars were assigned to newly organized units rather than to the front and not one new Tiger or Panther tank went to Russia (Dworschak 5). More than 70 percent of all newly produced tanks and assault guns were sent to the west. Lowering the draft age to 16 and raising it to 60-increased troop size (Dworschak 5). The German rail system used over 2,000 trains, traveling under the cover of darkness, to move 145,000 tons of supplies, 4.6 million gallons of fuel, and 66 divisions to the Ardennes pri...

Reading Comprehension Questions

Reading Comprehension Questions Teachers have a tough job. Not only do they need to teach their core content areas, but they must also help their students master reading comprehension, too! Sometimes, its hard to do it all in context when you need to focus on the skills. Below, please find free reading comprehension worksheets complete with multiple choice questions and some essay questions, too. Each worksheet can be completed online, or you can print the attached pdf file for ease of classroom use.   The worksheets will help your students prepare for a reading comprehension test,  or even the critical reading section of any standardized test like the SAT, PSAT, GRE and more! Bonus? You can have them on hand for easy substitute lesson plans if you have to be out. Thats just a win-win! Nonfiction Reading Comprehension Questions This link will take you to a slew of reading comprehension worksheets based on nonfiction passages. The passage word counts range from 500 to over 2,000, and the content varies from famous speeches to biographies to art. Use the worksheets and accompanying multiple choice questions to test your students mastery of finding the main idea, assessing authors purpose, making inferences, understanding vocabulary in context, and more! Fiction Reading Comprehension Questions Here, find a range of reading comprehension worksheets based on fictional passages. The passage word counts range from the 800s up to 3,000. The settings range from a modern day  kitchen to 19th century  Parisian reform school. And like the nonfiction reading comprehension questions above, these focus on skills like main idea, inferences, vocab in context and more, too. Main Idea Worksheets While the nonfiction and fiction worksheets above offer varied questions, these worksheets focus only on finding the main idea. Here, youll find a worksheet of separate paragraphs followed by either multiple choice questions where students will have to get rid of distractors to find the correct main idea (getting rid of choices too narrow, too broad, partially correct, etc.), or open-ended questions where students will need to compose the main idea whether its stated or implied.   Vocabulary in Context Worksheets Each of the worksheets in this link focuses on a snippet from a story or nonfiction article and is followed by multiple choice questions asking students to determine the meaning of the vocabulary word based on the context. Words range in difficulty, although context is incredibly important in each selection in determining the meaning.   Inference Worksheets The first three worksheets come with pdfs for printing and included both open-ended and multiple choice questions. The last three are meant to be completed online. Students will look at pictures, and based on the photos or cartoons, make an inference backed up by the evidence displayed on the screen. Authors Purpose Worksheets These worksheets offer a variety of paragraphs, followed by an authors purpose question similar to those on standardized tests. For each paragraph, the students will need to select the choice that best represents the authors purpose for writing the passage. This is a very different concept from discovering the main idea or determining the authors tone.    Authors Purpose Worksheet 1  Authors Purpose Worksheet 2   Authors Tone Worksheets This skill set is currently being built up! But currently, you can find one authors tone worksheet with more to come very soon. Authors Tone Worksheet 1

Synthesis paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Synthesis - Term Paper Example Taking this course has enabled me to fully appreciate the various facets of leadership and to realize that leadership is an art in itself. The 9100 class required me to participate in a leadership simulation program online. I assumed two main roles: a state representative in economic development to head of funds distribution. Being in the economic development board, I was exposed to the myriad of challenges one faces when he or she has been granted the power and authority to make decisions. Before taking the course, I, like many other people, used to avoid discussing power since each one has a different opinion about it. However by this course, I came to understand that it is the trait which distinguishes leaders from followers and using it the right way is a very challenging task. This course has equipped me with the necessary qualities needed to be a good leader by making me work my way through problem-based experiences. In this paper, I will reflect upon how the leadership simulat ion course has helped me develop leadership traits and how the concepts of leadership apply to my experiences and learning. Being a member of the economic development board in the leadership simulation program allowed me to develop and hone my leadership skills. The program was a platform for me to come across the experiences that senior leaders face in their respective disciplines. By assuming a placement position in the economic department, I was exposed to the brunt of real responsibilities. The various skills that the simulation experience honed included better communication ability, making decisions in the spur of the moment as well as putting them to the test of thoughts and brainstorming, solving conflicts that may arise in the course of activities and performing other responsibilities of a board member. Being a simulated board member also opened the opportunity to interact with my peers and to work as a team. I realized the importance of team work and the importance of each and every member in interprofessional teams. This not only helped me to direct the decisions taken towards the optimal performance of the board but also to develop value-generating strategies which served to improve the efficiency of the processes. In the program, I came to identify my leadership style and to create a leadership plan2. The leadership program helped me to make my way through the problem-based scenarios in an organized and structured way. I was given different situations. In one such situation, being a member of the economic development board, I was required to evaluate the feasibility of a funding proposal. A lump sum of $1 million was proposed to be given to an economic development group, over a course of three years. My job was to investigate and decide whether the investment was worth it and if it contributed towards the betterment of the community as a whole. $1 million is a lot of money and in order to make such a decision, I had to evaluate the aims of the econ omic development group in detail. The situation allowed me to further upon my accounting skills and to weigh the profits against the possible losses. Discussing the situation with other board members allowed to me to diversify my communication and negotiation skills and to use the collective opinion in making a decision which is for the greater good of the community. Moreover, since I had a senior role and the amount of money being invested was large, my responsibility of keeping an

What role do greed and grievance play in civil war Essay

What role do greed and grievance play in civil war - Essay Example On the one hand revolts could develop because the insurgents desire riches by seizing control over resources; on the other hand they could emerge because insurgents want to cleanse the society from corruption, injustice, and abuse perpetrated by the incumbent regime. Current evidence and theories demonstrate that civil wars are based on motivations that reveal an interaction between greed and grievance. The more broadly recognised arguments largely stress the grievance thesis, which speculates some kind of political or resource scarcity or dispossession. In contrast, the greed theory explains that dissidents rise up in quest of self-centred economic gain. Valuable and major resources such as timber, diamonds, and oil constitute the base of the disputable commodities over which dissidents contest their governments. Furthermore, the concept of ‘greed’ works as a suitable name to define self-centred motives and the assets obtainable to fulfil certain benefits. Basically, a solid resource support works as a device for mobilisation. Numerous academics studying civil strife since the Cold War have a tendency to place emphasis on the costs or material aspects of civil war and to view this kind of conflict as a disturbance of ‘normal’ political, economic, and social dynamics in a society. However, participants in such conflict usually have a rooted motive in prolonging it—wars usually fulfil an array of economic and political interests, particularly within unstable, fragmented, or weak states. The weakness of economic performance in the long-run is directly and strongly associated with defective, dysfunctional systems that generate conflicts and dilemmas of their own, as well as an oppressive society and extensive rent seeking, which could be promoted by the existence of particular kinds of resource rents. The bases for civil

Textbook evaluation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Textbook evaluation - Assignment Example As a result, it can be concluded that the nature of learning/ teaching atmosphere may varies under different circumstances. Hence, it is important to keep in mind the requirements and significance of the specific learners in certain teaching conditions when selecting the criteria for the assessment of resources. There are many guidelines and checklists for evaluating the course material aimed to meet the needs of ELT situations as proposed by majority of different authors. In the next section, some of these criteria are discussed in detail. According to McDonough and Shaw (1993, p.66) the criteria needed to evaluate the course material is categorized into two stages, external and internal. investigate different criteria in two stages, namely external and internal stages. According to these researchers, the proposed criteria helps in thorough evaluation of the learning material which is considered comprehensive to meet the ELT needs of the learners and the teachers around the globe. I t has been pointed out by the researchers that the evaluation process is not concrete in nature; it changes with the learning/ teaching needs. The external evaluation revolves around meeting the needs of the intended audience, the ability of the learners/teachers, the framework of the material it is based on, the arrangement and presentation of the units/lessons, the author’s analysis on language and understanding. ... eaking and listening abilities involved in the resources, the association of tests and exercises to meet the needs of learners and the central focus of the course material, the suitability of the material to match the different learning styles, and how the teachers and the learners balance the use of course material in an appropriate manner. Explanation of the criteria to be used: Selection and organization of content: It is regarded as one of the most important standard to evaluate the material. Selection and organization of content is important. McDonough and Shaw (1993, p. ) describe that learners become more proficient in second language when they are speaking. This situation occurs when the language skills are taught in a collective manner rather separately. Level: The level to which the ELT learners can get advantage of a course book is established on the suitability of the course book to the point that it meets the needs of the concerned students. For example, the use of gramm atical features, the words and terms to be incorporated in reading texts and the standard of lessons should be beyond the ability of the students. General Appearance: Numerous researchers have underlined the significance of the exterior or the outer look of a course book. McDonough and Shaw (1993, p.61) have stressed the significance of external assessment because it â€Å"offers a brief overview of the outside of the book†. They emphasize the need for a significant and critical assessment of the claims made on the outer cover of the ELT books for teachers and the students. As Dougill (1987, p. ) have emphasized that course books should have interactive outlay to motivate and involve the students in learning. It has been observed that students judge the book by its outer look or the cover.

Benefit of Technology Transfer to Developing Countries

Benefit of Technology Transfer to Developing Countries WHY IS THE TECHNOLOGY CONTRIBUTION OF MULTINATIONALS POTENTIALLY SO IMPORTANT FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES? WHAT FACTORS WILL DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE TRANSFERED TECHNOLOGY ACTUALLY PROVIDES NET BENEFITS FOR THE HOST DEVELOPING COUNTRY? Todays world is divided no longer by ideology but by technology 15% of the earths population, provides nearly all of the worlds technology innovationshalf of the worlds population, is able to adopt these technologies in production and consumption. The remaining part, covering around a third of the worlds population, is technologically disconnected, neither innovating at home nor adopting foreign technologies. Sachs (2000) According to the new Growth theory of the 1990s, Innovation is the prime source of technological advancementwhich in turn drives economic growth. One of the prime motives of host developing countries for widely accepting and encouraging various channels of FDI is to absorb the technological spillover from the foreign country firms. The Hard Technologies (industrial processes, equipment and plant) or Soft Technologies (technical know-how, management ideas, marketing skills etc) (Dunning and Lundan 2008) contributed by Multi-national Enterprises (MNEs) are considered the main source of economic development and growth. When a multinational firm vertically integrates with the developing country firms, host firms they are forced to abide by the MNEs strict guidance and standards to ensure quality goods or services in the form of raw materials or upstream services. The foreign firms would guide and assist, both managerially and technically which would lead to improvement both in quality and quantity of service by the local affiliates. Also domestic rival firms enhance their offerings to keep in pace with the foreign affiliated firms in the market thus enhancing the host country firms productivity. The biggest US based retailer, Wal-Marts entry and rapid expansion in China has helped the logistics industry in Chinese market to climb higher level Zhu (2010). For developing countries to carve their niche in the global economy, they need to be technologically advanced. There is a possibility of importing new technology from foreign developed market, but this will cause a setback as the procedure would be expensive. Also countries will find themselves alienated from the advancement of technologies if they cant develop export markets Sachs (2008). This can be minimised to a considerable extent by MNEs trickle down effect wherein transfer of technological skills from developed countries to developing countries occurs through FDI. The transfer of Panasonics microwave manufacturing base from United States to China has led to the presence of 2800 Chinese enterprises to provide components for it, which has not only contributed new technology, but also advanced operations management techniques to Chinese market (Sinani and Meyer 2004). The risk factor due to uncertainty of new technologys results and heavy investment thwarts the developing countries from introducing any new technology from scratch. The argument in support of MNEs is that technology  is the quintessential component of economic development and demands a lot of investment in research and development (RD). Developing countries, however, lack both in skills and funds essential for RD, which has led to the deficient level of RD in  developing  economies. The host countries innovation can be stimulated because of the presence of MNEs, which would command resources necessary for RD. Hence host firms can save on cost by using the technologies which are already implemented and used by MNEs using Demonstration (by MNEs) and Imitation (by host firms) (Das 1987; Wang Blomstrom 1992, cited in Crespo and Fontoura 2007). However the patent regulation and challenge of absorbing the technological skills in the short term collaborative contracts makes the process very challenging for the firms in the emerging markets. The human resources mobility from MNEs to local firms also act as a channel of technology transfer and extension since the systematic training provided to these high-skilled employees is dissipated to domestic firms in the form of innovative managerial ability thus enhancing the domestic enterprises which would otherwise be impossible (Crespo and Fontoura 2007). Table 1: Summary of Spillover Channels of FDI (Blomstorm and Kokko (1998); Gorg and Greenaway (2001); Gorg and Strobl (2002)) The technology transfer usually occurs in a market which is imperfectly competitive and possesses no particular market structure. Since different developing countries would have different market structure, it becomes very complicated to have a generalized theory and model to find the determinant factors of technological spillover benefits to local firms (Mondal and Pant 2010). The results of empirical study by various researchers act as an alternative to analyse the net benefits of technology spillover for the host developing countries. The firms Total Factor Productivity (Factors like the level of RD, foreign presence, the firm size) can be used as a proxy to gauge technology transfer (Haddad and Harrison 1992, cited in Crespo and Fontoura 2007).According to Seck (2011) A 10% increase in a developing countrys foreign RD capital stock leads to more than a 2% percent increase in its total factor productivity. The economic development level (measured by per capita GDP) impacts strongly on RD activity (Cheung and Lin 2003). The growth in host countrys RD activities reduces the technological gap and increases the absorptive capacity of the host firm thereby benefitting the host developing country. According to Schmid (2010), A one percent increase in the Research and development (RD) expenditure is associated with a five percent increase in the likelihood of a technology transfer. He also states that the technology transfer is positively correlated to the trade flows and RD expenditure of a developing country. RD resulting in new processes and products either amplifies firms revenues or saves firms costs and is considered as the vital proxy for endogenous growth and technological advancement, Zhu (2010). In 2004, 23.7 % of industrial RD within China was performed by affiliates as compared to 21.7% in 2004 (UNCTAD 2005, cited in Dunning and Lundan 2008, p.359) which exemplifies increasing trend and possibly positive effect on host developing countries. Here the main challenge lies in finding the exact proportion of beneficial RD activities. If the relative costs of technology adoption are large to the economic value of the underlying technology (to the host country firms), there will be little adoption relatively and FDI spillover realized will also be relatively limited (Blomstrà ¶m. et.al 1999). Thus cost of technology adoption plays a major role for the technology transfer to be beneficial to the host country firms. The factors contributing to the distribution of technological capacity (which includes Higher educational institutions, Scientists and Engineers, RD laboratories and other physical and human assets) which are aided by foreign affiliates reflects the net beneficial effect on host countries due to export or FDI (Dunning and Lundan 2008). Alongside the direct effects of technological capacity of host countries, the indirect consequences can be measured through knowledge, technology and RD spillovers to host economys local firms which can be measured in terms of the raise in productivity of local firms as a result of the MNEs presence or entry into host economy. However realising the exact proportion of productivity increase solely due to MNEs contribution is a big challenge for many other factors would have aided the process. A study by Xu (2000), cited in Dunning and Lundan (2008), suggests that the spending on royalties and licence fees approximately indicates the impact of productivity enhancement caused due to technology transfer of FDI in the host countries. The absorptive capacity of the developing countries varies and accordingly the positive or negative effects based on it. The study by Feinberg and Majumdar (2001), cited in Dunning and Lundan (2008) reveals that the pharmaceutical affiliates in India experienced no spillover to local firms through locally conducted RD whereas the foreign affiliates had benefited. On the contrary, a study conducted by (Mondal and Pant 2010) shows the presence of foreign affiliates and high absorptive capacity for developing countries to impact positively on technology spillover which is elevated by a highly competitive environment. The policies of host governments towards FDI such as technology policy and Intellectual Property Protection are also plausible determinants which impacts the magnitude of the efficiency spillovers captured by host country firms. For example government policies which would encourage the RD performance like effective IP protection would alleviate the chances of FDI and intensify the technological capability of local firms which in turn would aid to exploit appropriate foreign technology (Blomstrà ¶m et al. 1999). On the other hand patents filed by developed countries would result in limited transfer of technological capabilities due to the protection of technology from imitation for 20 years. China became the largest recipient of FDI among the developing countries during 1990s due to the market for technology policy and enforcement of patent law in line with TRIPs (Trade-Related Intellectual Properties) (Cheung and Lin, 2003). Due to contradicting research data and the dependence of technology transfer benefits on the kind of industry and the level of alliance between foreign and emerging market country firms, it becomes very complicated to generalise the factors contributing to the net benefits of the developing countries. CONCLUSION According to (Dunning and Lundan 2008) The ability to create, acquire, learn, use and effectively deploy technological capacity is one of the key ingredients of economic success in virtually all societies. The exact realisation of net benefit of technology transfer to developing countries is measured using TFP as a proxy and can be enhanced by strengthening their local economy and capabilities to attract FDI inflow with the aid of strict and stringent government regulations.

Vehicle Drive Train Systems Essay -- physics car automobile vehicle

Before the advent of the automobile, buggies were typically propelled by one or more horses. Even with the first automobiles there was a need for a drive system, though, since those horses were no longer there. One thing that has remained common to every car is a motor and transmission system of some sort, but what varies greatly between cars is what is between the transmission and the wheels, also known as the drive train. There are many different styles of drive trains, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Front Wheel Drive The most common style of drive train is that of the front wheel drive, abbreviated FWD. Front wheel drive was not, however, the first drive system. Front wheel drive first made its appearance in the automobile market in 1933 with the French Traction Avant, which literally means "pull from the front." At the time, the idea of having a car pulled by the front wheels was rather different, but this style of getting the power to the wheels worked rather well. What made the Traction Avant successful was that it was lighter and more fuel efficient than other car models made at the time. This increased efficiency was a result of not only eliminated weight, but also reduced power loss in moving the rotational energy to the back. The idea of front wheel driven cars was not embraced immediately by major car manufacturers, though, since having all the driving mechanisms placed right under or in front of the engine added complexity in production and maintenance that was not worth the extra gas mileage. It was when the gasoline shortage hit America in the early 1980s that the front wheel drive car first became popular. Chevrolet first implemented the system in its "Citation," in 1979, which became an... ...front and rear differentials. Taking this into consideration, all wheel drive systems are almost always on full time. In order for all wheel drive to work, a specialized computer and a matching set of sensors is needed to tell which wheels are spinning and to which wheels the power should be transferred to. The change is done through a series of automatic wheel braking, adding another complicated and costly mechanism to the brakes system. For this reason all wheel drive systems were usually only used in vehicles like Mercedes and Porches. Lately, though, due to the advances in manufacturing technology, there have been a few domestic vehicles released, like the newer Ford Explorers and the Saab 9-2X, both of which feature all wheel drive. Should the cost of production of all wheel drive systems continue to decrease, more domestic vehicles will feature it in the future.

Psychology Case Write Up Essay

1. What traits are prominent in these cases? Name two or three from the Big Five and give examples from each person’s behavior, emotional reactions or thought processes as ‘evidence’. Shirley: Shirley seems to not be open to new experiences. At age 57 she has put herself back into psychotherapy. The childhood with a drunken and possible depressed mother seem to play part in the way she raised her children. Where now she only has active contact with one of her daughters and struggles to accept the fact that the other daughter is gay and the son is living in a halfway house. She married an abusive husband which correlates to the men her mother used to date who used to abuse Shirley. Death seems to be a continuous cycle of experiences for Shirley. Her mother died then her first husband, second husband and then her child. She seems to be continuously living the same life over and over and nothing new really happening. An event that does interfere with openness is the fact that she did become a lay minister; open to helping others. Conflicting because she is able to admit she potentially could be an alcoholic but refers to it as a â€Å"problem†. So I would assume she wants something new but the conflict starts when she exhibits the same behaviors over and over. Shirley seems to be an extrovert. Although she struggles with depression she still shows signs of wanting to be around people and have some interaction. She decided to go back to psychotherapy which involves group interaction or one-on-one meetings. There is still the effort of keeping in touch with one daughter. It seems Shirley didn’t like being alone hence the reason she re-married after her first husband died and joined the lay ministry when her second husband died. Perhaps the reason for connecting with people is a way for her to not worry about herself as much. For example she works for the state and is a lay minister but states â€Å"herself as â€Å"mentally ill†, but that she ‘may’ also have a drinking ‘problem'†. Greg: Greg seems to be conscientious in some areas and not so much in others. He graduated college with his masters but has a hard time completing his work on the job. Perhaps the reason he struggles with communicating to the children’s parents could be a reason why he isn’t close to his colleagues; lack of assertiveness. He has never developed a relationship with his father and isn’t completely honest with his mother in regards to his sexuality. He seems to be a great achiever within himself but dealing or doing things for something else is where he struggles. For example â€Å"has trouble being assertive and setting limits both with clients and colleagues but he works out at the gym and is quite muscular†. Greg seems to be an extrovert. He enjoys singing in the

Analysis of Interracial Adoption essays

Analysis of Interracial Adoption essays The purpose of this paper is to introduce, discuss, and analyze the topic of adoption. Specifically, it will argue why interracial adoption should be allowed and why single parent adoptions should be allowed, as well. Interracial adoption (often referred to as "Transracial Adoption" or TRA), has become far more common in the United States, especially with all the attention stars such as Madonna and Angelina Jolie have received after adopting children from other countries and nationalities. Interracial adoption works because it helps place more children in loving homes and it helps create more understanding between the races, as well. In 1994, the Federal Government passed the Multi Ethnic Placement Act (MEPA), and in 1996, they passed the Adoption and Safe Families Act. These two acts ensured that race could not be used as a reason to deny placement of a child in an adoption or into a foster home (Simon, and Roorda 3). Thus, according to law, race cannot be used as a determining factor in an adoption, and it should not be a factor. One reason interracial adoptions became popular is the number of black children available for adoption. Traditionally, white families adopt white children, but there are fewer blacks who adopt, and this leaves more black children without adoptive families. One expert notes, "Blacks adopt at higher rates than their white counterparts, controlling for socioeconomic class, but there are not enough black adopters to adopt all of the black children in need of placement" (Fogg-Davis 4). Thus, interracial adoption guarantees more children a chance at adoption and a new life. Perhaps one of the biggest arguments against the practice of interracial adoption is the argument about how it affects the child. In fact, many social workers and adoption experts believe that interracial adoptions are not in the best interest of the child, who will lose the valuable and vital aspects of growing up with members...

Conversation Using Reported Speech Lesson Plans

Conversation Using Reported Speech Lesson Plans Reported speech is also known as indirect speech and is commonly used in spoken conversations to report what others have said. A keen grasp of correct tense usage, as well as the ability to correctly shift pronouns and time expressions, is essential when using  reported speech. The use of reported speech is especially important at higher English levels. Students  are fine-tuning their communication skills to include expressing the ideas of others, as well as their own opinions. Students usually need to focus not only on the grammar involved but also on production skills. Reported speech includes some rather tricky transformations that need to be practiced repeatedly before students feel comfortable using reported speech in everyday conversations. Finally, make sure to point out that reported speech is generally used with the verbs say and tell in the past.   Hell help him with the homework. - She told me he would help me with my homework.   However, if the reporting verb is conjugated in the present tense, no reported speech changes are necessary. Im going to Seattle next week. - Peter says hes going to Seattle next week.   Lesson Outline Aim: Developing reported speech grammar and productions skills Activity: Introduction and written reporting activity, followed by spoken practice in the form of a questionnaire Level: Upper-intermediate Outline: Introduce/review reported speech by making simple statements and asking students to report what you have said. Make sure to emphasize reporting in the past (i.e., the teacher said, NOT the teacher says)Provide review sheet of principle reported speech transitions (included in lesson printout pages)Have students get into pairs and convert the reported speech paragraph into the direct speech form.Correct worksheet as a class.Ask students to divide up into new pairs and ask each other questions from the questionnaire. Remind them to take notes on what their partners say.Have students divide into new pairs and ask them to report what they have learned about the other students to their new partner (i.e., John said he had lived in Breubach for two years).Follow-up with class conversation focusing on problematic tense transformations. Reported Speech Study the following chart carefully. Notice how reported speech is one step back into the past from direct speech. Tense Quote Reported Speech present simple I play tennis on Fridays. He said he played tennis on Fridays. present continuous Theyre watching TV. She said they were watching TV. present perfect Shes lived in Portland for ten years. He told me she had lived in Portland for ten years. present perfect continuous Ive been working for two hours. He told me he had been working for two hours. past simple I visited my parents in New York. She told me she had visited her parents in New York. past continuous They were preparing dinner at 8 oclock. He told me they had been preparing dinner at 8 oclock. past perfect I had finished in time. He told me he had finished in time. past perfect continuous She had been waiting for two hours. She said she had been waiting for two hours. future with will Ill see them tomorrow. He said he would see them the next day. future with going to Were going to fly to Chicago. He told me they were going to fly to Chicago. Reported Speech Reference Time Expression Changes Time expressions such as at the moment are also changed when using reported speech. Here are some of the most common changes: at the moment / right now / now -  at that moment / at that time Were watching TV right now. - She told me they were watching TV at that time. yesterday - the previous day / the day before I bought some groceries yesterday. - He told me he had bought some groceries the previous day. tomorrow - the following day / the next day Shell be at the party tomorrow. - She told me she would be at the party the next day. Exercise 1: Put the following paragraph in the reported speech into the  conversational form using direct speech  (quotes). Peter introduced me to Jack who said he was pleased to meet me. I replied that it was my pleasure  and that I hoped Jack was enjoying his stay in Seattle. He said he thought Seattle was a beautiful city, but that it rained too much. He said that he had been staying at the Bayview Hotel for three weeks and that it hadnt stopped raining since he had arrived. Of course, he said, this wouldnt have surprised him if it hadnt been July! Peter replied that he should have brought warmer clothes. He then continued by saying that he was going to fly to Hawaii the following week, and he that he couldnt wait to enjoy some sunny weather. Both Jack and I commented that Peter was a lucky person indeed. Exercise 2: Ask your partner the following questions making sure to take good notes. After you have finished the questions, find a new partner and report what you have learned about your first partner using reported speech. What is your favorite sport and how long have you been playing/doing it?What are your plans for your next vacation?How long have you known your best friend? Can you give me a description of him/her?What kind of music do you like? Have you always listened to that kind of music?What did you use to do when you were younger that you dont do anymore?Do you have any predictions about the future?Can you tell me what you do on a typical Saturday afternoon?What were you doing yesterday at this time?Which two promises will you make concerning learning English?

Response for Was Sumerian Civilization Exclusively Male Dominated Essay

Response for Was Sumerian Civilization Exclusively Male Dominated - Essay Example The Sumerian Pantheon and theology were primarily populated and controlled by male deities like An, Enlil and Enki (Starr, 1965). The important Sumerian epic Gilgamesh has a male as its central character (Starr, 1965). In the Sumerian social hierarchy, the leading priestly class was male dominated (Starr, 1965). In contrast, Kramer presents Sumerian history and cosmology as an arena impregnated by both the male and female influences, in which the feminine element does hold its sway. The inscriptions of King Urukagina do prove that in the early Sumerian society, women did wield power in the Sumerian political and religious life (Kramer, 1976). Many important high priestesses like Enheduanna were esteemed for the political and literary contributions made by them (Kramer, 1976). The Sumerian Pantheon comprised of influential and powerful goddesses like Ninhursag and Inanna (Kramer, 1976). The position evinced by Kramer is more agreeable as it takes into consideration the larger body of the available historical and literary evidence, to elaborate on the position of women in the Sumerian society. This position is supported by Henk Dijkstra. As per him, women did command much power in the Sumerian legal system (Dijkstra, 1996, p. 241). K Ann Pyburn also mentions the important role played by women in the Sumerian political hierarchy (Pyburn, 2004, p. 34). As per Pyburn, the feminine element is distinctly visible in the Sumerian political history and

Performance of the UK auto- and motor industry Literature review

Performance of the UK auto- and motor industry - Literature review Example Because of this superior level of internet sponsored network connectivity, the world has become a highly connected one single global entity. It is highly interesting to mention that the level of dependency that exists in between the organizations and business forums of various countries and markets is widely varying and largely diversifying in nature. As of the recent times, the advanced markets located in the well developed economies are facing factors of low demand because of the influence of a wide range of macroeconomic factors like the slow growth in the economy and fall in purchasing power of the consumers. It has become a common and normal trends for the companies and organizations located in the regions of slower growth to look forward to the markets of emerging economies like Africa, china, Russia, Brazil and India so as to secure their growth lines of the future (IMF Research Dept, 2012, p. 7) . The UK motor segment forms a very crucial and critical part of the entire motor industry of the European region. The factors like product manufacturing, combined participation and sharing of manufacturing policy by the auto manufacturers as well as the multiple markets served in a combined basis by the entire European automobile sector makes the contribution of the UK motor industry very important. It also has to be taken into account that the production of the automobile sectors in the UK region contributes in a positive manner in the economy and society of the nation (Johnson, 2002, p. 164). UK auto industry: sector overview It is highly relevant to mention that the most of the nations of the European region is facing extended periods of macro level economic challenges in regards to the troubles of the Euro zone. Since the UK motor industry shares a high degree of contribution based dependence with the entire European motor industry, it is very natural that the potential influence of the regions’ macroeconomic challenges is bound to cast a shadow on t he prospects of the UK automobile sector. As of October 2012, various reports on the automobile sector of the UK region hinted to the fact that around 1400 workers of the motor sector is about to lose their jobs as a result of cuts that are supposed to be initiated by the motor manufacturing giant Ford in its plant locations of Southampton and Dagenham. Further insights revealed that the job cuts in the motor sector is an outcome of Euro zone powered effect which comprised of uncertainty in the business environment as well as erosion in demand. It was also realized that Ford has focused on consolidating its manufacturing operations in the European region on the strategic grounds, while trying their best to absorb the case of depreciating demand of finished products from the European region. Talking on the lines of impacts and threats faced by the automobile sector of UK, it has to be said that the automobile sector faces serious issues on the lines of rising cost of manufacturing in the UK region as well as highly

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Marketing - Essay Example Marketing is therefore an essential department in every organization since it deals with the product and service proportion thereby catering for the organization’s operations. The department works in close relation with other management departments to ensure the organization operates as a unified whole. In carrying out their mandate, the marketing department develops its operations depending on the nature of the target market for every product or service in the industry. Additionally, the department counsels the production department thereby ensuring that the company produces appropriate goods and services that meet the market demand. Apple manufactures hand held telecommunication devices such as tablets, computers, and laptops. However, the company’s products and services access the international market owing to the fact that some of the phones and products it manufactures are marketed globally. This implies that the company has a big market and therefore several compe titors all that it must compete effectively against to maintain its operations. With this understanding, Apple has a dedicated marketing department, which has steered the organization through success within the years of its operations.

The threat of the global economic crisis Essay Example for Free

The threat of the global economic crisis Essay The economic crisis of United States of America has made its way to the economies of the Central Asian nations. The global economic crisis is showing its impact upon the economy of Tajikistan. This global crisis is threatening not only the economy of the country; but also its internal stability. This current downturn seems to have crippled the entire country. The history of Tajikistan does not boast of internal stability, as it has plunged into civil war that had destroyed the very economy of the state. Through this paper, the threat of the global economic crisis on remittances and towards the economy would be studied. In addition, the impact of this crisis over the internal stability of Tajikistan would also be analyzed. At the crucial point of economic destabilization, the country faces an uphill task of lifting itself from falling into the deep trenches of this global economic crisis. The country has various challenges to overcome, in order to successfully combat the current crisis. The various challenges to the economy of Tajikistan include weak infrastructure, inadequate, insufficient and ailing health and education systems and failing institutions like the financial system and the civil service. These challenges are not the only cause of concern for the country; its geography and demography along with political turmoil, make the matter worse for it. The country already had host of problems and this economic crisis has just added to its misery. Tajikistan has to address a number of challenges and needs but it does not have adequate resources to combat them. The state of current condition of the country can be judged from the fact that the proposed plan of Government has various modest goals set in their planning. Due to the various resource and capacity constraints, the Government does not have enough on its platter to help the failing economy. The global catastrophe seems to have come at a very critical point for this nation. Various problems have only aggravated the situation of this country. The country still has not been able to lift itself from the energy crisis, which originated in late 2008 and early 2009. Its worsening relations with Russia have just added to the woes, as this has raised the graph of social and economic problems, which the country had been facing since its fall out from the former Soviet Union. All these factors have resulted in creating a deep impact on the nation’s internal political matters. These problems are now threatening the political stability of the country. According to various Analysts, these prevailing conditions would ultimately result in total failure of the state. The rising monetary problems and the continued failure of the Government in combating them would bring the whole country to a standstill. The country at this point would be unsuccessful to perform its basic functions. This situation would result in threatening the steadiness of the nation’s neighbouring countries and the whole region could plunge into a series of hostilities against each other. The resulting crisis may be so severe that it could impact negatively on the stabilization operation of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) in Afghanistan. Some Analysts point out that in coming months, this situation might result in eruption of warfare due to increasing dissatisfaction among the local populace. The ensuing dissatisfaction may lead to the possible overthrow of the current regime. Such action could draw the country into chaos and internal conflict. The country might have detached from Soviet Union, but its economy is still deeply affected by the developments in Russia. Therefore, the developments in the neighbouring Russian Federation and Central Asia Region directly affect developments in Tajikistan. Background Tajikistan is considered to have the worst economy out of the various nations that were carved out of the former USSR. The country’s GDP in 2007 accounted for US$3. 2 billion, while the per capita income was estimated to be US$578. The inflation rate has shown a continuous increase in recent years with the inflation rate in 2008 recorded at 19. 8%. The balance of trade in 2008 recorded a negative turnover, reflecting imbalances in the exports and imports. In 2008, the average salary, for people in Tajikistan, was estimated to be US$68. It would be unfair to compare the flagging condition of the nation’s economy with other break away states of the former Soviet Union. The current state of the Tajik economy is far more comparable with poor nations of Africa or Asia. The development of Tajikistan has faced several hurdles in the past. These hurdles are of diverse nature as they include various geographic and historical factors, as well as, economic and political factors. The economic factors include the poor development of the industry, weak infrastructure, lack of communication networks and lack of foreign investments. There were various political factors that negatively affected the economy of Tajikistan. These political factors came into picture right after its break up with the USSR. The 1992 1997 civil wars, in particular, had a major role to play in disturbing the economy of Tajikistan. Although the civil war ended with a firm settlement, it failed to bring any benefit to the country. After the civil war ended, Emomali Rahmon occupied the position of President of Tajikistan in 1994. Emomali could not gain any benefit from the settlements reached after the civil war or from the West, due to Afghanistan’s related war on Terror. He does not appear to have made much effort to change the conditions of the country since his inauguration as President. The present political system of the country suffers from many major problems such as corruption, clan system, biasness and bureaucracy. It is also alleged that certain elements of the Government and state apparatus is engaged in smuggling of drugs in the region. In order to understand this crisis, the background of country’s political and economical state is essential. 2. Economy of the Country Tajikistan became one of the poorest nations in the Central Asia after coming out of the clutches of civil war in 1997. Its foreign exchange mainly comes from the cotton and aluminium exports. This has resulted in increased sensitivity of the state to external imbalances. The deteriorating health of the economy can be noticed from the fact that in the year 2000, Tajikistan’s rehabilitation program was entirely dependent upon the international aid. This rehabilitation program brought back the combatants of civil war into the mainstream, which assisted the country in making peace at both ends. International aid was required to assist the country in combating the food crisis that Tajikistan had encountered due to severe drought. After the civil war, there was some recovery in the economy, as it grew considerably after 2000. According to the data provided by World Bank, for period 2000-2004, the GDP of the country grew at a rate of 9. 6%. This growth in GDP led to improvement in country’s position among other Central Asian countries such as Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. But since then the economy of the country has been continuously moving backwards. According to the figures available, nearly 57% of the population of this country lives below the poverty line. The country is stricken with widespread poverty. The dollar exchange rate is estimated to be 0. 82 Somoni. The wages in the country are low amounting to nearly $2-$3 per day for an average person in 2007. The civil war lasted for six years creating innumerable problems for the country including a strained relationship with Russia that resulted in loss of subsidies and more importantly the loss of its products market. The country has to look for assistance from Russia and Uzbekistan and other international humanitarian bodies to fulfil the country’s basic needs. In addition to this, the country faces the uphill task of bringing back the refugees and combatants of civil war in the country’s mainstream. The stability of the nation and pace of the peace process has an important part to play in attracting foreign investment, as well as determining the country’s future. In the 1990’s, the GDP per capita of the country fell by 67%. In the financial year 2000, the Government of Tajikistan went into reform mode and took steps towards promoting macroeconomic stabilization and certain institutional reforms even though it faced endless number of protests. The Government pursued privatization of small enterprises and increased privatization of medium and large state-owned enterprises. The Government’s budget for development of economy, during 2000, was in control until 2005. The growth rate of the financial system was in good shape with an annual growth rate above 6 percent. The main industries of the country consist of the following: †¢ Agriculture †¢ Forestry †¢ Fishing †¢ Mining and Minerals †¢ Industry and Manufacturing †¢ Energy †¢ Services The country’s economy is highly dependent on agriculture and livestock. The reason behind this dependence on agriculture is the economic downturn it faced with collapse of Soviet rule and the civil war that plagued the country. Nearly two thirds of the country is employed in subsistence agriculture. Nearly 900,000 of the total workforce of the country are employed in Russia or other countries. Government corruption is one the major challenges facing the country and contributing to the high levels of poverty in the country. The lowlands of the country specialize in the production of cotton, wheat, barley, fruit, vegetables and mulberry trees. A significant portion of the population of the nation is also engaged in livestock farming, such as sheep, dairy cattle, goats and yaks. The country also has deposits of silver, gold, uranium, tungsten, zinc, lead, coal, antimony, salt and mercury. But due to inadequate mining and raw-materials processing facilities, the country has not been able to benefit from its resources. The country’s hydro- electric resources are abundant, but the poor management of these resources has resulted in power shortages. Other industries which have suffered due to its separation from the Soviet Union include ginning cotton, spinning of silk, winemaking, carpet weaving, metals processing and textiles manufacturing. The major exports of the country include aluminium, electricity, cotton, fruits, vegetable oil and textiles. The major imports include petroleum products, electricity, aluminium oxide, machinery and equipment. The country trades primarily with Netherlands, Uzbekistan, Russia and Turkey. Inflation is the major crisis faced by the country and has been a major obstacle in Tajikistan’s economic growth. From 2001 to 2003, the inflation rate of the country decreased from 33 percent to16. 3 percent. In 2004, there was a drastic cut in inflation rate, as it reached the 6. 8% mark; but increased again in 2006 to 710%. 3. Political Scenario of the Country The country has witnessed a series of ups and downs as far as the political scenario of the country is concerned. The country gained its independence after the fall out of Soviet Union in 1991. The Independence was short lived because the country soon fell into a civil war that continued for six years. This internal turmoil was a result of tensions between the ruling elites and disenfranchised regions, democratic and liberal reformists and Islamists, who were under United Tajik Opposition. There were also other combatants and armed bands, which were not a part of any party and neither showed any kind of inclination for them. The civil war reached peak during 1992 to 1993. In 1997, there was a settlement reached between the United Tajik Opposition and the ruling Kulyabi-led Tajik Government. This peace accord was implemented in 2000. After the peace accord, the Government gradually started nation building. There is still a presence of Russian military in the country to secure the Tajikistan border with Afghanistan. The Russian 201st Motorized Rifle Division mostly consists of local Tajik officers and soldiers who never left the country and continued to live in Russia. The credentials of Parliamentary and Presidential Elections held in years 1999-2000 were doubtful, as they were labelled unfair yet peaceful by many. The Government created a strong secular image by including Islamists in the administration. There were problems in the country due to insurgency in Afghanistan, prior to the overthrow of Taliban in 2001. These forces posed a major threat to the peace prevailing through the peace accord. In 2004, there were threats to the peace when the tensions between President Emomali Rakhmonov and former war lords increased, creating ripples in the political conditions of the state. Even though life in general has become peaceful in the country, there are still elements within the country that continues to fight the prevailing conditions. There is widespread poverty, with more than half the population dependent on the international assistance. The economy is still burdened with aftermath of the Soviet past. There is too much of intervention by the State Government, which does not reflect a healthy democracy. There is too much corruption, as the state structures are involved in promoting it. This has resulted in driving away the foreign investors from the country. The current situation and the global recession have just added to the country’s problems. There is tension everywhere, since the country is fighting against too many hostilities with inadequate resources. Chapter 2: Aims Objectives 1. Aims Objectives The aim of this research is to explore the impact of global economic crisis on the economy as well as the political scenario in Tajikistan. The paper would look at the impact of global phenomenon on the current state of Tajikistan, which was marred by civil war since its inception. The objective of the paper is to look at the devastating impact of the current recession on the economy of the country. The internal stability of Tajikistan has been on stake due to this current crisis. In this research different aspects of this crisis on the political scene in the country would also be studied. 2. Statement of Research The research statement for this particular report, which studies the impact of the global recession on economy and the internal stability of Tajikistan, is given below: â€Å"The current global economy crisis is a potential threat to the remittance for the economy and internal stability of the nation of Tajikistan. † Chapter 3: Literature Review 1. Literature Review Tajikistan is an underdeveloped country and its economy is very poor. Moreover, the economic slump all over the world has led its economy into a more miserable plight. The recession has not only affected its economy; but is also likely to affect its political stability. This section will be a review of the already available facts and figures related to the research question. It will help in arriving at some meaningful conclusion and in analyzing the research question. According to the information obtained from the US Department of State, Tajikistan faces great corruption in its political field and the economy is continuously falling down. It is analyzed from the information that power is concentrated with only few individuals. The country is also involved in the opium and heroin trafficking and this is a great threat to the political stability of Tajikistan. The crime rate in the country has been increasing continuously, mainly due to lack of resources available to the people and disease like HIV/AIDS that is also rising at a rapid rate. This clearly shows that there is lack of awareness among the people. The only source of foreign revenue for the country is the exports of cotton and aluminium. The information also states that the external happenings all over the world also affect the economy and stability of the country to a great extent. This signifies that the economic recession has greatly affected the financial system and political stability (Background Note: Tajikistan 2009). From the presentation on â€Å"ECA region and the global economic crisis† it can be analyzed that the GDP growth has been affected to a great extent in Russia and Tajikistan is one of them. The remittances to the country have also reduced and are affecting economy greatly. This directly creates a bad impact for the economy of Tajikistan and also the political stability of the country. The ECA region is heavily affected by the financial catastrophe. From the figure on growth of migrant remittances, it can be clearly seen that the global, as well as, ECA remittances have been continuously falling in 2008 and 2009 due to economic downturn. Unemployment has been rising along with rise in imports and a fall in exports. This has badly affected the economic condition of Tajikistan. The country should focus on attaining long term productivity and social stability (Rohland 2009). From the Country Programme Document for Tajikistan, it can be analyzed that the country faces a number of challenges relating to its economy, administration and resources. The country needs to work for the economic prosperity of its people and should put its efforts for reducing the poverty in the country. The remittances in the country comprise about 37 percent of the GDP. However, now there has been inflation in the country and the energy and food prices have risen to considerable levels. Due to the economic recession, the country is facing fiscal disaster, which has reduced the economic growth, the exports and remittances coming to the country. The foreign capital inflows have reduced and the condition of the nation is continuously deteriorating (Draft country programme document for Tajikistan: 2010 – 2015 2009). It can also be identified from the report that the Government is corrupt, resulting in mismanagement of public finances. Everything remains centralized and the implementation of reforms is also very slow. Although, the country has launched various programs for reducing poverty, creating effective decision making, overcoming disasters and controlling the spread of diseases, yet they have not been implemented in a proper manner. The programs have also achieved certain results, yet they are not so helpful in improving the conditions of the country. Moreover, the economic downturn has worsened the situation and has affected the country in a great way. It is increasing the instability in the country and making it economically dependent on other countries. The UNDP program needs to work in the right direction to achieve the predefined goals for the country. In the news article on Tajikistan, On the Road to Failure, the International Crisis Group has forecasted that Tajikistan is on the verge to decline. It has no efficient leadership and also lacks infrastructure. Most of the people have migrated to other lands and the money which these migrants end back home is the main economic lifeline for the country. But as a result of economic slowdown, these remittances have highly reduced and the country is in a bad state. The cities that were earlier prosperous are also declining now and poverty is incessantly increasing. From the news article, it can be clearly analyzed that the country needs to reform its system and if economic downturn in the world will continue, then, this will create political, as well as, economic instability in the country (Tajikistan On the Road to Failure, Think Tank Concludes 2009). As per the article on â€Å"Government under Pressure†, it has been explained that due to global depression, people are losing their jobs and there are huge price cuts. This crisis has created a social, as well as, a political impact. It has led to political instability in the developing, developed and underdeveloped countries. The social unrest due to unemployment and other factors is mainly responsible for political instability. The demand is reducing day by day and there are chances of financial crisis. The social unrest can take the form of violent acts and can adversely harm the administrative settings of the countries. The political stability index has been formulated, which is based on indicators of susceptibility and economic suffering. They help in finding out the level of political instability in a specific country. The strong and the weak, both types of democracies are likely to be threatened and face political insecurity. Tajikistan is also a country that is under serious threat of facing unsteadiness and collapse of the Government. The income of the country is greatly affected by the remittances that have reduced, as a result of great economic suffering in the world (Governments under pressure 2009). In the report by Joshua Kucera, it has been clearly elucidated that Tajikistan is dominated by weak politics, low economic development and lack of adequate resources. The fall in the oil prices has led to social unrest and the economic downfall in the countries like Russia and Kazakhstan, which has affected the flow of remittances in the country of Tajikistan. This has reduced the revenue sources of the country and led to rising pressure for its internal stability. The banking sector of Kazakhstan has weakened due to the economic break down. There is a need for reforming the democratic system of the countries, to bring an end to corruption. The economic issues need to be handled in an effective manner. There is great political pressure and economic down turn in the central Asian countries, which is a hazard to their internal stability. All the economies are undergoing a critical stage and moreover, the financial system of Tajikistan is in a very bad state, and is about to collapse. The administrative settings should be improved and reformed in the country (Kucera, 2009). In the article by Falkowski, it has been identified that the economy of Tajikistan is dependent on Russia. The increasing energy crisis has led to tensions in relation to Russia. Tajikistan has now been considered as a failing state because its political and economic situation is continually worsening. The dissatisfaction among the people has been rising and it might result in conflicts within the nation. This might also create a menace for the neighbouring countries and worsen the situation of the country by each passing day (Falkowski 2009). The political system is collapsing and the economy is also on the verge of decline due to reduction in remittances and exports. This will definitely create internal volatility in Tajikistan. It can be identified that the nation is in a very miserable state and is very deeply affected by the economic depression. From the information obtained by International Labour Organization, it can be identified that the people working outside Tajikistan, are the significant source of revenue for the country. Workers going to other countries should be provided with economic, as well as, social security assistance. They face various difficulties working in foreign countries. The economic crisis will result in unemployment of migrant workers, adversely affecting remittances coming into the country. This in turn, will also negatively affect the national income and GDP of the country. The country is very much affected by the activities in the outside world. The ILO (International Labour Organization) has begun a program known as ‘Start and Improve Your Business’, which is aimed at helping the unemployed people as a result of world recession. It is also assisting people in Tajikistan by providing good employment opportunities to them (Migrants in times of economic crisis: ILO/UNDP joins forces to make Tajik migration safe 2009). In the report on â€Å"Migrant Worker Remittances Support Development in Tajikistan†, it has been identified that IOM (International Organization for Migrants) has been working effectively to provide help to the migrant workers from Tajikistan. It helps in generating employment for the people, who return back as a result of increasing economic slowdown. Remittances have a great impact on the development of the country. It is aimed at supporting migrants and analyzing the benefits that Tajikistan gains from the remittances earned through these migrants. Several programs and conferences have been organized for supporting migrant labourers and analyzing their conditions (Migrant Worker Remittances Support Development in Tajikistan, 2006). In the report on â€Å"Impact of Global Economic Crisis on Migrants and Migration†, it has been stated that the migrant workers form most of the major economic activities in a country and significantly contribute to the income of Tajikistan. If the immigrants are restricted to work in the foreign countries, this would worsen the situation of economic break down. Migrant workers are in one of the most vulnerable categories, arguably bearing the brunt of the economic downturn through loss meaningful employment abroad and loss of income. Efforts should be focused on identifying alternative employment opportunities within Tajikistan. Training should be provided to develop the required skills and enhancing their employment opportunities when they return. The report presented by IOM analyzes the effects of financial crises which have resulted in employment restrictions being imposed on migrant workers in the foreign countries (The Impact of the Global Economic Crisis on Migrants and Migration 2009). Working conditions and availability of meaningful employment has been affected by the growing unemployment rate. Central Bank of Russia statistics reflect that remittances improved in 2008, compared with 2007. The increasing remittances in 2008 had a buffering affect, effectively delaying the economic shock brought by the economic crisis first felt by the more developed economies. The slowdown in the Russian economy resulted in declining remittances to Tajikistan. Moreover, the migrants are also not able to send money, as the trust in the banking authorities have reduced because of the increasing economic downturn. The IOM aims at protecting the rights of migrants and helps in avoiding discrimination. If proper and timely assistance is not provided, this might result in increasing internal instability due to various social tensions in the countries, which are largely dependent on remittances. Thus, the policy of IOM aims at removing all these defects. In the report on â€Å"Central Asian countries†, it has been stated that the economy of Tajikistan remains much weaker in spite of increasing efforts of various authorities like IOM, UNDP, and ILO etc. The Corrupt Governmental setup has worsened the conditions in the country. The country requires various social reforms that can help in improving the conditions of the people. The European Commission has helped the nation in overcoming the problem of poverty and for managing public finance in an efficient manner. The EC aims at making developments in the field of energy, transport, education, border management etc. This has helped Tajikistan in a great way in overcoming its miserable situation. But more efforts need to be taken to avoid internal instability in the country as a result of recession (Central Asia Indicative Programme: 2007 – 2010 2009). In the book, â€Å"Towards social stability and democratic governance in Central Eurasia: challenges to regional security†, the author has explained that the international capital inflows reduce as a result of the economic depressions. The economic and political environment of the developed countries influences the flow of money to the developing, as well as, underdeveloped countries. The weak global economic situation has affected the people working outside their original countries and this has finally resulted into slow economic growth all over the world. Tajikistan is also affected in this process as the remittances to the country have reduced as a result of the economic slowdown. Labour migration has become an important source of earning in this country, which has affected its social stability (Morozova 2005). The article from the economist intelligence unit about the country outlook provides a brief overview of Tajikistan. It also throws light on the prevailing situation in the country. According to this article, the state is on the verge of political instability. The forecast for various economic indicators points towards a declining economy. The growth of Real GDP is estimated to be just 2. 5% in 2009. Inflation rate is expected to be high, as well as, the prices of international commodity would further go down. The current account deficit is expected to grow further (Tajikistan 2008). The domestic political scenario is expected to grow even worse as the threat of instability looms over it. Although, the country has come a long way from the civil war, yet there is still rise in public dissatisfaction due to failure of the Government to provide solutions to various social and economic problems. The return of migrant people from various countries is expected to pull the nation in state of unrest. The Government would have to go in for crisis management to tackle various problems. The prices of the products exported are likely to come down. According to the World Bank report on remittances forecast for 2009-10, these remittances are expected to go down. Many developing countries like Tajikistan are heavily dependant on these remittances, as these constitutes the money which their workers sent to their home countries. According to this report, the migrant workers are facing a lot of problems like job losses, anti-migrant sentiment and in some cases; even instances of violence have been reported. These are the results of the financial crisis that is troubling the global financial system at this time. According to the World Bank reports, these remittances are expected to fall by $290 billion in 2009. The only positive thing that this report indicates is that these remittances would still outdo the private capital flows and official assistance given to these countries (World Bank Lowers Remittances Forecast for 2009 as Financial Crisis Deepens 2009). According to the report â€Å"Tajikistan: Dushanbe Braces for Shock, As Remittances Set to fall off Cliff by Konstantin Parshin, the downslide of the economy of Russia is having a significant impact on the country of Tajikistan. The Russian Government in order to pull their country from this crisis is hitting out at the migrants workers by reducing the number of workers working in these countries. These efforts by the Government in Russia are having a negative impact on the economy of Tajikistan. The country is highly dependant on the remittances it receives through the migrant work forces (Parshin 2008). According to the top officials in Russia, these crackdowns on migratory workers quotas are important to ameliorate the conditions of the economy. This news has come as a shock to the migratory population, as it is expected to cut the jobs by half. Nearly 1 million Tajik nationals work in Russia. If this number is reduced, then, it would have a devastating effect on Tajikistan’s economy, since these workers send 98% of their income home. In US congressional report â€Å"Annual Threat Assessment of the Intelligence Community for the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence†, the emerging challenges due to this global recession in Russia and Eurasia have been discussed. The five nations in this region, which includes Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, would be severely hit by the global recession. This situation might result in political instability in this region. This region according to the report is not at all prepared for dealing with violent extremism, economic crisis and other problem linked with distribution of water, energy and food (Blair 2009). The worst affected country in this region would be Tajikistan, which has too much dependence on remittances by migrant workers. This economic loss would result in weakening of the political stability in this region. This threat to political stability in this region can disrupt US and NATO’s lines of communication. In a report by Johannes F. Linn, titled â€Å"Tajikistan: Progress and Problems at the Heart of Central Asia†, the overview of this nation, as well as, the importance of the country stability in promoting the peace in the Central Asia has been talked about. This report throws light on

Essay on Terrorist Groups in the Middle East

Essay on Terrorist Groups in the Middle East A Terrorist or a Soldier? A Deeper look at â€Å"Terrorist† Groups in The Middle East Decorated with ribbons and medals a returning soldier is widely appreciated for their efforts endured during battle, they are named a survivor, even a hero. They are given a parade and honored for crushing the skulls of those ruining world peace in the Middle East. These soldiers have earned this celebration, right? After all, they have just returned from the land of barbaric savages and those living with the backwards mentality of devoting their entire lives to religion. A mentality that has caused the United States (a nation nondiscriminatory toward race, gender and surely religion) to take initiative in the Middle East (a region controlled by governments that have not fully advanced past religion). Unfortunately, this initiative has devastated many Arab countries, especially Iraq and Syria, and out of the ruble different terrorist groups developed, each with different missions. Terrorist groups in the Middle East can be traced as far back as 1948, when the United Nations decided I srael would replace a country previously known as Palestine (Bowen). Even today woman, like Ayat al-Akhras, are fleeing the West and heading to the Middle Eastern â€Å"wasteland† in order to become â€Å"terrorists† and aid the Palestinian state in its efforts to survive (Giovanni). But should the people who are involved in groups fighting for the freedom of a nation be considered equally as dangerous as the vicious brutes slaughtering those who do not support their views? Nonetheless, almost all terrorist groups have exploited a haven found in social media today, a haven that has abetted the recruitment effort of several radical organizations. Heavily empowered by social media, terrorists and quasi-terrorists prey on unsuspecting potential candidates; candidates who can be recruited for motives linked to religion, war and cultural connections. While here in The United States a typical morning consists of a tasty bowl of cereal and a television screen tuned in to the broadcast of a vehement battle going on between the New York Giants and San Diego Chargers; in Palestine a normal morning scene consists of the lament of a young teenage boys mother who has just seen her sons body and ligaments torn apart into pieces by a destructive Israeli machine gun and his remnants dismembered by a tank. The Palestinian Israeli Conflict has been raging on ever since the United Nations partition plan after World War II was put into action (Emadi). Unfortunately, the plan failed when the first Jewish settlers to step foot in Palestine razed the populations homes and forced families to reconcile somewhere else, today Palestinians only comprise about twenty percent of the Israeli population (Emadi). The creation of Israel caused the displacement of Palestinians; too weak to fight a war with the incoming settlers, the Palestinians involuntarily started a journey to somewhere distant from home, but similar to their Jewish oppressor’s history, they had nowhere to go. Forced to move on, Palestinians traveled to countries like Jordan and Egypt in search of shelter, which in turn stimulated the conflict from a Palestinian one to a Middle Eastern one. â€Å"TheIsraeli-Palestinianconflictis actually a hyper conflict influenced by local, regional, and global factors. It is no accident that the main accords producing temporary stability have been reached in periods of relative calm for the whole Middle East† (Casertano). The Palestinian conflict is in reality a Middle Eastern conflict, while the gruesome war is fought on the grounds of Jerusalem, Palestine, the soldiers are equipped and assembled in Sinai, Egypt and trained by the most elite sergeants in the Jordanian Army and Syrian Navy. This can be seen through the hiatus of fighting between Palestinians and Israelis during periods of stability in The Middle East; For example, in 1978, Egypt and Israel were able to reach the Camp David agreements after oil prices had been steadily falling in the region; the drop in prices helped reduce the aggressiveness of the countries in that region which in turn allowed two enemies to settle their argument (Casertano). â€Å"Later, the Oslo Accords were reached in the mid-1990s, at a time when Russia a disruptive player in the Middle East before and since had no political, military, or financial means to disrupt or influence the outcome† (Casertano). While The Palestinian Conflict effects the entire Middle East, Palestine is the only area of the conflict in which lives are threatened on a daily basis. For Palestinians, the fight for survival is the fight for freedom. To them the war has been going on for sixty seven years and they must continue to fight on. Adult males, children and even females all join the fight against the oppressing Israelis through any means possible. Adult Males try to attack Israeli soldiers using anything from Ak-47’s to rocks and glass bottles; females on the other hand find themselves in varying roles. In Palestine, females join Hamas and serve in a plethora of jobs, jobs that range from nursing and helping the wounded, to holding a weapon and attacking the nemesis. And then there are the females who discover that the only way to freedom is through perversity like Ayat al-Akhras who â€Å"Pushed a button on the belt strapped to her and detonated an explosive device in a crowded supermarket in Kiryat HaYovel, Jerusalem† (Giovanni). For Syria, Palestine’s close neighbors, females recruited by Al-Nusra, â€Å"a branch of Al-Qaeda creat ed in January 2012 that operates in Syria and Lebanon. Which has also been cited as the most aggressive and successful of the Syrian rebel groups† serve in deadly roles, transporting bombs across the border and fighting on the frontlines (Giovanni). On the other hand, Israelis believe that the war is over but several conflicts with Palestinian terrorist’s spring up on occasion and Israel has a right to put those conflicts down violently. Unfortunately Israel’s fighting morale is quite inhumane, they are known for hunting Palestinians in similar ways wild animals are hunted, slaughtering thousands of children in years past. A year ago in a recent conflict with Palestine, Israel was credited with â€Å"According to UNICEF, the murder of 59 Palestinian children — 43 boys and 16 girls —in the first nine days of the conflict, before the Israeli ground assault began. Most were under the age of 12.† (â€Å"Israeli and Palestinian†). While Isr aelis view Palestinians as terrorists, Palestinians view Israelis as Nazi like murderers. The Palestinian conflict has been going on for decades; and the Arab Spring has just added to the chaos by serving as a catalyst for terrorist groups, in countries like Syria and Iran, to gain more control and aid the Palestinian effort. The Israeli state deserves to exist, but viewing a group like Hamas, fighting for the survival of its torn nation, as a deadly terrorist organization is at the least contradictory considering that Americans live in a country amassed through a revolution. While groups like Hamas should be viewed with a little more sympathy, groups like ISIS should be viewed with more animosity and revulsion. Islam is similar to Christianity in a way; both have factions in which religion is interpreted differently and whether that difference be a mild or extreme one, the factions identify themselves as separate sectors of the religion. Comparable to the Protestant/Catholic conflict during the times of the Holy Roman Empire, the Sunni/Shiite conflict today remains at intense levels in the Iraqi homeland. Sunnis have always been at odds with Shiites; but nowhere have they pugnaciously acted out against each other like they have in Iraq. This violent relationship has caused the creation of groups like the Islamic State or ISIS. However, ISIS did not find its ignition in Iraq, rather it found its true base formed in the revolutionary sands of Syria. While George Bush was signing the agreement that ended the American Iraqi War, ISIS was moving out of Iraq and into Syria. Joining the Syrians in their fight against the government of President Bashar Assad, ISIS gained a stronghold in that area a fter losing the stronghold they had in Iraq to the American troops during Operation Iraqi Freedom (â€Å"Who’s To Blame†). The group made a profit, detained armor and weaponry, recruited followers and â€Å"became battle-trained and hardened† through its fight against Assad (â€Å"Who’s To Blame†). Quickly, this weak organization created an arduous force and refurbished from a group known as Al Qaeda in Iraq, to a terrorist organization feared and known as ISIS. â€Å"What began as a small group of individuals with a relatively common extremist ideology has grown to become one of the largest and most barbaric terrorist organizations in the world† (O’Briain). Today, Most Americans know about ISIS because of its intelligent advertising techniques. ISIS has managed to recruit talented individuals who were able to transform the media and technology fields to a whole new level; attracting more recruits and producing an outburst that has caused television to unintentionally promote the terrorist organization. The interesting thing about ISIS is the way it runs its â€Å"government†. They have taken away the Iraqi populations original government issued ID card and assigned them a new ISIS ID card to replace it (Cambanis and Collard). Furthermore, ISIS has redrawn the Middle Eastern border and legitimately created an ISIS nation. Unfortunately, for them, no other country in the world recognizes this border; but at the rate ISIS is developing today, the world might have to recognize the Islamic state’s redrawn border shortly. â€Å"ISIS looks much more like a functioning government than any of its detractors ever thought it would: it is pumping oil, policing streets, collecting taxes, [and] even planning to issue its own currency† (Cambanis and Collard). Although the Islamic State has assembled an organized and sophisticated ruling system, the way it has structured its judicial court and laws are on the complete opposite spectrum of civilization. The Islamic State runs an extremely strict code of law based on a faulty interpretation of The Quran, the Muslim holy book, and has caused great distress to those living within the makeshift border. Some of the laws that govern these tormented people include the beheading of anyone who speaks out against the state, the amputation of a convicted thief’s arm, and the poking of one’s eye out who is caught staring at an appealing lady passing by (Cambanis and Collard). Most of the Islamic states punishments are videotaped and released to the public as propaganda advertising ISIS. The Islamic state has so much money and so many ways of seizing wealth t hat it seems their mission has changed from an Islamic one to a monetary one; or maybe their mission was never religious to begin with? Whether the Islamic state was truly established to spread Islam or not, thousands of people have flocked to Iraq and the Middle East in hopes of joining ISIS and other terrorist groups that have reached out to them through social media. Social media plays a colossal role in people’s lives. Teenagers, adults and even children all check-in to the web on a daily basis. This has created a network in which a large number of people can easily be reached; terrorist groups have come in touch with thousands of individuals, and have successfully recruited an abundance of people, by persuading them to travel all the way to the Middle East in order to dedicate their lives to these organizations. On several occasions individuals have even trekked all the way from Europe and North America to join the Islamic state in the Middle East. But why do these individuals go through all that trouble to live the rest of their doomed lives in a third world nation? Michael Zehaf-Bibeau is the man who independently attacked both the War Memorial and Canadian Parliament last October (Friscolanti and Patriquin). During the attack, Zehaf was able to murder Cpl. Nathan Cirillo using his illegaly obtained rifle (Friscolanti and Patriquin). His reason for the attack? Islam. Zehaf was a drug addict who on several occasions was imprisoned due to robbery, drug abuse and house parties. His parents were rarely home and he often found himself alone in the house. All the nights Zehaf spent home alone, he spent wasting time online. He was quickly lured in to believing the Islamic state was his port of call after endless hours of viewing ISIS on the news and chatting with people online. To him, the media was encouraging his venture to Syria by advertising the horrific acts ISIS was committing, he stated that â€Å"the Islamic States mass murder of non-Muslims is justified because the targets supported America† (Friscolanti and Patriquin). Zehaf was arre sted trying to flee to Syria using an illegal passport; after his arrest, Zehaf expressed that the Iraqi and Afghani wars America had been involved in were sufficient justifications for his attacks in Canada. Zehaf’s hatred for America had driven him to insane measures. On 4 October 2014, nineteen-year-old Mohammed Hamzah Khan and his two younger siblings were arrested for attempting to travel to Turkey in an effort to join ISIS (Reitman). The siblings grew up in a Chicago suburb and were heavily influenced by the local mosque that preached the doctrine â€Å"An Islamic State has been established, and it is thus obligatory upon every able-bodied male and female to migrate† (Reitman). Khan was able to plan his entire journey online; he was even able to find an Islamic state recruiter who walked him through the entire procedure. The recruiter was kind enough to give Khan his phone number and assured Khan that he would be there to greet him at the airport when he arrived (Reitman). Khan was delighted, as far as he knew, he was about to join a religious Islamic society, a utopia he was honored to be a part of. After his arrest, Khan was questioned about his motives. His answer: â€Å"I wanted to help the Muslims. I never intended to return to th e U.S.† (Reitman). Somalia. That was the motive for Abdirahmaan Muhumed’s overseas attempt to join ISIS. But unlike Zehaf and Khan, Muhumed was successful. All the way from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Muhumed was not an unusual case of extremism. Minneapolis contains an enormous Somalian population; a population notorious for its sturdy cultural and traditional ties. However, Minneapolis’ Somalian population has seen several cases of radicalism, most that can be traced back to the local Mosque in the area; a Mosque said to preach an extreme form of Islam (Tuttle). Through his local Mosque, Muhumed was able to take home what he learned and express it to other people on the internet through online chatrooms. After his engagement in numerous online chatrooms, Muhumed was extremely motivated to join the fight in Syria and excited to travel and support his Somalian brothers. In August, Muhumed became the second American to die fighting for ISIS (Tuttle). The dread filled stories go on and on. Every minute of every day there is a vulnerable adult or teenager online prepared to do anything in order to be a part of something and feel important. The Islamic state, Al-Nussra, Al Shabbab, and plenty of other terrorist groups in the Middle East have exploited this sensation; most groups have even situated online recruiters to track down potential employees and persuade these employees to come join the organizations in Iraq and Syria. Muhumed, the Khan Siblings, and Zehaf were all targeted and recruited. The organizations found the men’s weaknesses and attacked. They were all recruited for different beliefs; some thought the war in Iraq was a justification for joining, while others thought their religion and culture meant they had to join the terroristic effort. But all of these men had one thing in common, they were all innocent online recruits. Confetti rains down New York City’s streets. The parade is at full capacity and an American soldier is seen with a smile across their face. They are credited with the take-down of three terrorists, and the applause never halts. Now, back to the question that initiated this paper, does this soldier deserve the recognition? Terrorism has taken a variety of definitions. But a Palestinian fighting for the freedom of their nation and their people should not fall under the definition of â€Å"terrorist†. However, an Islamic state government official amputating people’s arms off should be viewed not only as a perilous radical but as a menace to peace anywhere in the world. War, religion, and culture are some of the main reasons that extremists have emerged. Most arrested terrorists either claim that the Iraqi and Afghani wars justify their quest with ISIS, or that Islam and ties to their culture encourage them to join the Islamic states â€Å"flawless† society. R egardless of their reason, most people are recruited through social media. A phenomenon that has created an outburst in people flocking to join terrorist organizations in the Middle East. These organizations have turned an initially unstable precinct of the world into a terrorist wasteland capable of mass murder and genocide. Works Cited Bowen, Jeremy. Until The Next War. (Cover Story).New Statesman144.5253 (2015): 24-31.MasterFILE Elite. Web. 6 May 2015. Cambanis, Thanassis, and Rebecca Collard. How ISIS Runs a City. Time. Time, 26 Feb. 2015. Web. 11 May 2015. Casertano, Stefano. Broken Peaces.World Affairs177.5 (2015): 69-74.MasterFILE Elite. Web. 7 May 2015. Emadi, Hafizullah. The Palestinian Struggle for an Independent State: Retrospect and Prospects.Contemporary Review294.1705 (2012): 159-168.MasterFILE Elite. Web. 7 May 2015. Friscolanti, Michael, and Martin Patriquin. Uncovering a Killer. Macleans 127.44 (2014): 36-42. MasterFILE Elite. Web. 1 May 2015. Giovanni, Janine di. A Jihad of Her Own.Newsweek Global162.10 (2014): 62-68. MasterFILE Elite. 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